Switch-thrower for electric railways.



I. G. REYNOLDS.

SWITCH THBOWER FOB ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

' APPLICATION rnnn mums-1, 1,909.

924,830. Patented June 15,1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS C. REYNOLDS, OF TEXARKANA, ARKANSAS.

SWITCH-THROWER FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. REYNOLDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Texarkana, in the county of Miller and State of Arkansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Throwers forElectric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switch throwers and is especially adapted foruse on electric railways.

My device works automatically and its main object is to enable themotorman to throw the switch without stopping, opening up, or leavinghis car, and at the same time to dispense with the necessity of having aswitchman at said switch as is now the usual custom.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists of the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts as are hereinafter described inthis specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andpointed out in the appended claims.

I attain these objects by virtue of the construction of my device,which, as brought out in the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of arailway to which my improved switch has been applied. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of a car platform carrying operating means to be used inopening or closing said switch. Fig. 3 is a front view thereof. Fig. 4is a top plan view of the plate shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 51is a perspectiveview of my device, comete.

p My invention, in detail, is described as follows: The track 1, isrovided with the ordinary switch 2, the ra' s 3, of which, are heldparallel by any suitable means as a connecting rod 4. A projection orextension 5, extends upwardly from and at right-angles to said rod 4.said extension 5, is a shift plug 6, of sufficient strength to withstanda considerable jar, the greatest dimension of which extendslongitudinally with the rails 1. The side surfaces of said plug areoutwardly curved, said curved surfaces coming together at a common pointat each of the forward and rear ends thereof. A plate 7, is secured totwo or more cross-ties by substantial means 8, said plate being providedwith a transverse slot 9, in which said extension 5, is adapted toreciprocate. The latform 10, is provided with two rectangu ar holes 11,through which pass levers 12, fulcrumed by Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed March 24, 1909.

Secured to the upper end of Patented June 15, 1909.

Serial No. 485,399.

means of pins 13. Suitable brackets 14, having formed at their lowerportions bearings 15, are secured to the under side of the platform 10,of said car. Spindles 16, pass through said bearings 15, being held inplace at their inner ends by means of nuts 17, or other means. Securedor formed to the outer end of each spindle is an arm 18, which areprovided at their lower ends with rollers 19, of any desired diameterwithin limitations. A downwardly extending auxiliary arm 20, is formedto the collar 21, of each arm 18. Connecting together the lower end ofeach lever and its corresponding auxiliary arm 18, is a connecting rodand spring, 22 and 23, respectively. A spring 24, holds each of saidarms 18, in raised position. They maintain this position when it isdesired to pass up the main track, if the switch be so set that the carwill run along the main track; but if the switch is open then thepedalA, is pressed; if the switch be closed and it is desired to takeadvantage of said switch then the pedal B, is pressed. The wheels 19,are mounted upon extended spindles 25, and are held in place by coilsprings 26, encircling said spindles. The purpose of this arrangement isto allow the shift wheels to shift after said plug shifts the switchrails. The object of allowing the wheels toshift after striking saidplug is to allow them to pass around the plug instead of over the same.

It is thought that the operation of my device will be readily deducedfrom the foregoing description and further explanation, therefore,unnecessary.

Having described my invention in detail, I may claim the right to makesuch alterations and modifications therein as do not depart from thespirit of my invention or fall without the scope of the appended claims,the particular arrangement shown in the drawings being for the purposesof illustration only.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the class specified comprising a plug whose movementis limited by means of a slotted plate, said plug adapted to shift aswitch to which it is connected, means carried by a car to shift saidplug, said means comprising an arm, a roller rotatably mounted at thelower end thereof, a bracket holding the upper end of said arm in apivotal mentioned arm, a foot lever suitably fulcrumed to the platformof said car, means of 1 connection between the lower ends of said footlever and said auxiliary arm, said means including a spring, meanscomprising a spring to hold said first men tioned arm in raisedposition, said foot lever being the means whereby said roller is causedto contact said plug, substantially as shown.

2-. In a device of the class specified comprising a plug whose movementis limited by suitable means, said plu g adapted to shift a switch towhich it is connected, means car'- ried by a car to shift said plug,said means comprising an arm, a revoluble element mounted at the lowerend thereof, means to hold the upper end of said arm in a pivotalmanner, a downwardly extending member formed to the upper end of saidarm, a foot lever fulcrumed t0 the platform of said car, connectingmeans between the lower ends of said foot lever and said auxiliarymember, means to hold said arm in raised osition, substantially as shownfanddescri T In testimony whereof I allix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS C. REYNOLDS. Witnesses: V

JE's-sn P. FRroKs,

Jas. A. WALKER.

